Island



(No Model.) J. F. THAYER. BUTTON FASTENER.

Patented Apr. 28, 1891.

INVENTCIR WITN EEEEE.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFI E.

JAMES F. THAYER, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

BUTTON-FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 451,083, dated April 28, 1891.

Application filed January 26, 1891 Serial No. 379,103. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES F. THAYER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Staple Button- Fasteners; and 1 do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention is an improvement upon the common U-shaped button-fastening staple upon the one hand and on the other hand upon the class of button-fastening staples having V-shaped angular heads or body portions; and the object of my invention is to provide a staple-like fastener having two penetrating prongs or legs and an arc-shaped body of such construction that whensaid legs are caused to penetrate the material and be clinched against the under side thereof they will, by reason of the peculiar form of the crown or body portion, force the leather or material up against the under side of said crown or body portion on each side of the button-eye wire or shank-eye and to bear against said shank-eye in such manner as to hold the button in given position upon the material and in substantially upright or standing position on the center of the fastener. At the same time said button-fastener will be provided with bearing-shoulders to bear upon the face of the material and limit the penetration of the prongs, while the crown or body portion of said fastener will lie closely against the face of the material to prevent in practice the point of a button-hook from engaging the fastener and entering between the material and said fastener.

Figure 1 shows in front elevation a buttonfastener constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a like view showing said fastener with a button strung upon it; and Fig. 3, alike view of a button and fastener, showing the fastener clinched to the material to secure the button thereto, the said material being shown in section.

My improved button-fastener consists, essentially, of a body portion a made in the form of an arc of a circle, from each end of which projects at an angle thereto a straight leg or penetrating prong c, said legs being parallel with each other, while at their junction with the ends of the arc-shaped body portion a there will be provided well-defined bearing-shoulders b to limit the penetration of the prongs into the material and to mark the body portion from the penetrating portion or legs. By this constructionwhen said legs are clinched to the under side of the material d the entire body portion a will be disposed on the right or face side of said material, while the clinched or curved legs 0 will, by reason of such proportionate division of the staple into Well-defined body portion and penetrating portion, force the material within their grasp or reach up, against the under side of the arc-shaped body portion a on each side of the button-shank e and likewise force the material intervening between the opposite points of the legs and outside of their reach or grasp'snugly around and against the bottom portion of the button-eye wire, where by the button will be held firmly upon the center of the arc-shaped body portion and will be maintained in substantially upright or standing position on the face of the material, while on the other hand the arc-shaped body portion of said fastener will lie, as it were, snugly againstthe face of the material to prevent the point of a button-hook from entering between said body portion and ma terial. Further, the button-fastener presents a smooth, neat, and unobtrusive portion on the'face of the boot, shoe, or other article to which it may be secured.

In the present instance I have shown the legs a as provided with beveled points f to facilitate the penetration of the prongs into the material.

It will be observed that the legs 0 join the arc-shaped body portion at the points substantially where a chord (shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1) would meet the ends of said arc.

I claim Abutton-fastener consisting, essentially, of an arc-shaped crown or body portion, from each end of which and at an angle thereto projects a straight leg or penetrating prong, the prongs being substantially parallel with each other and substantially at right angles to a chord meeting the ends of the arc-shaped body portion, the angular junctions of the legs with the body portion forming Well-defined bearing-shoulders, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES F. THAYER.

Witnesses:

F. A, SMITH, J12, GEO. W. PRENTICE. 

